A sweet reward after finishing our taxes

Listened to the show Saturday and it was not bad. A sweet reward after finishing our taxes, filling out the FAFSA (our oldest is off to college next year and you have to have the FAFSA filled out by a certain time and filled out properly or you won’t be eligible for student aid – which we need – and it’s no short form), and finally getting the garage to an acceptable level of cleanliness. There’s more, but it doesn’t matter much after that earthquake on Friday way over on the other side of the world.
The kids wanted to go over there to help out, and I explained that people are helping and that three young people from Minnesota would do so much good but would also need food, water and shelter, and there isn’t any to spare over there at the moment, and the appropriate people are helping in the best ways they can. I explained that sometimes the best way to help when you can’t do much is to live a good life. Do the best you can. Small things.
We lit a candle for all those people. One candle and a thousand thoughts. This week, the kids have kept up with their homework, helped with the dishes and the laundry, read before they fall asleep. Mr. Sundberg cut extra wood and took some to Mr. Albert down the street, who has a hard time getting around, and I just made some bread and did some real deep thinking about how the world can break open and what it is to be alive and how good bread tastes and how sweet the voice of someone you love hollering, “There’s a worm on the driveway! Two worms!” How spring always returns. And it does.
These cakes are wonderfully light and crispy and best with butter and syrup or
powdered sugar. Serve with fruit for a lovely brunch, or after school for a warm snack.
Funnel Cake
3-4 cups all purpose flour
3 eggs
2 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
powdered sugar
vegetable oil (heat to 375°F)
Beat the eggs, then add the sugar and milk. Sift 2 cups of flour, the salt, and the baking powder and add to the milk, sugar, and egg mixture. Mix while adding more flour until the batter is smooth and not too thick. The funnel should have an opening of at least 1/2 inch and be able to hold around a cup of batter. Put your finger over the bottom and add about a cup of batter. Remove your finger and allow the batter to pour into the center of the oil.
Gradually swirl the batter outward in a circular motion, or criss-cross back and forth to make a cake about 7 or 8 inches round. Check it with a pair of tongs and turn it when the bottom becomes golden brown. When both sides are done, remove with tongs and let drip on a paper towel.
Funnel cake is usually served with powdered sugar on top. You could also use molasses, maple syrup, or fruit preserves.
Note: if you don’t have a funnel, try a Ziploc bag with a corner cut out.
Enjoy!

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Tim Trost, Artist

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Tim Trost is a hardworking man with a lovely family and a good heart. He has a passion for nature, for good food and living sustainably, for using his work to make people’s lives better, and his art – detailed culinary and botanical works — is, for me, right up there with Norman Rockwell. He has been a dear friend to me, illustrating my cookbooks and sharing his thoughts about life in general, and it has been a humbling thing, a real blessing and honor, and it’s my wish that you meet him, too.